Veterans Buried Overseas Will Be Further Honored by VA's Expanded Online Memorial

Now totaling over 10 million individual pages, the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) website, the nation's largest online memorial, recently underwent a significant expansion. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on May 6th the addition of 210,000 new pages specifically honoring American veterans laid to rest and memorialized in overseas cemeteries and memorials managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

This collaboration between the VA's National Cemetery Administration (NCA) and the ABMC broadens the VLM's reach, which already provides a space to remember veterans and service members in various cemeteries worldwide, including VA national cemeteries, Department of Defense-managed sites, and even private cemeteries.

Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald Walters emphasized the importance of this expansion in preserving the legacies of "the brave Americans resting in American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries." Echoing this, Acting ABMC Secretary Robert Dalessandro highlighted the partnership's role in offering new resources to honor veterans from all wars, especially for those unable to visit ABMC sites overseas, mentioning the availability of virtual 360 tours.

The historical ties between the VA and ABMC date back to 1934, when the management of several European military cemeteries was transferred to the ABMC. Today, the ABMC oversees 26 American cemeteries abroad, caring for the graves of over 124,000 veterans from World War I, World War II, and the Mexican American War, and memorializing over 94,000 missing or lost at sea.

Learn more about the Veterans Legacy Memorial

Launched in 2019, the VLM platform allows families and friends to contribute lasting tributes by uploading memories, photos, and other information. Living veterans with pre-need burial approval in a VA National Cemetery can also share their life stories through the "Your Life, Your Story" feature. Nearly 200,000 submissions have been made since the VLM's inception, with all content moderated by the NCA to ensure respectfulness. The VA encourages those seeking information on burial benefits to explore their 156 National Cemetery locations, online resources, or call their toll-free number, 800-827-1000. Information on pre-need eligibility is also available online, demonstrating the VA's ongoing commitment to honoring all American veterans.

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